Proteins are a ubiquitous part of the cell and to many are considered the basic building block of life. While a number of other molecules are necessary for life, including nucleic acids, carbohydrates and lipids, the sheer number of proteins…
Read more
Proteins are a very important class of compounds for the proper functioning of the human body. They have structural as well as functional roles. Proteins are composed of chains of amino acids that are connected with each other through a…
Read more
Enzymes are catalysts in living cells; proteins that speed up chemical reactions. Without enzymes, cellular reactions would occur at a much slower rate or not at all; making life impossible. * Enzyme Substrate Complex * The word catalyst is a…
Read more
Using DNA to identify unique and related species is a powerful tool that has only recently become available to biologists. Just like DNA identification is being used to identify individuals involved in criminal activity by forensic scientists, biologists can use…
Read more
RNA has a wide variety of functions within each and every cell. Known fully as Ribonucleic acid, RNA functions differently than DNA. While DNA is primarily the storage material for genetic information, RNA is a carrier of genetic information, a…
Read more
Page (Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis) and Western Blots Gel Electrophoresis is a separation science commonly used in many laboratories when searching for protein or DNA of interest. It is similar to using strainers in your kitchen to separate large pieces of…
Read more
RNA interference, or RNAi, is an RNA-dependent mechanism that silences genes. RNAi is important in the gene silencing of developmental genes and show great potential for numerous fields of research. RNAi is commonly used to understand the function of genes…
Read more
RNA is the little known cousin of DNA. Standing for Ribonucleic Acid, RNA is mainly different from DNA in the sugar (ribose) that makes up its backbone. DNA is famous for being the code for life, but in fact it…
Read more
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR ) is a technique that utilizes the enzyme DNA polymerase for making copies of a gene, gene fragment, or specific DNA or RNA sequence. DNA polymerase is the enzyme that catalyzes replication and repair of DNA….
Read more
Alternatively known as wart snakes or elephant-trunk snake, the file snake has earned these names because of its loose folds of baggy skin and tiny scales that make its skin appear rough. The rough-looking texture is similar to that of…
Read more